Willis Waynwood, Lady Anya's youngest son, roared, "For Mother!"
In the distance, Greene, with his excellent hearing, thought: "..."
Hooves thundered, and the cavalry shouted in unison, "Long live Iron Oaks!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, the long military horn of Kleber immediately sounded.
The three hundred captain of the Kelleber Spearmen shouted, "Form ranks! Form ranks! Form ranks!"
The cold, gleaming spearheads seemed to writhe as the Kelleber Spearmen formed a crescent-shaped defensive formation towards the charging Iron Oaks cavalry.
"Brace spears!"
Kleber's spearmen stepped forward and leaned down, their long spears uniformly tilted forward.
As the Iron Oaks cavalry approached, hundreds of arrows flew out from behind the spearmen's formation, assailing them like a gale.
Kleber's arrow rain poured down like a storm. The Iron Oaks cavalry raised their knightly shields, trying to block the arrows.
However, the density and speed of the arrows were despair-inducing. Blood splattered, and cavalrymen, along with their warhorses, were struck by arrows and fell to the ground.
Ser Morton Waynwood pointed his sword forward and yelled, "Iron Oaks! Attack!"
The arrow attack slowed the Iron Oaks cavalry, but they continued to charge in a wedge formation, disregarding their casualties.
Passing through the arrow rain and facing the dense rows of spears, most warhorses stopped their charge at the last moment and swerved away, while a few charged straight in, their chests pierced by spear tips, dying on the spot.
Warhorses leaped in, and spears thrusting from all directions brought them crashing down. However, Kleber's spear formation simultaneously began to crumble under the heavy pressure of the Iron Oaks cavalry.
The military horn sounded, and Kleber's longbowmen left their positions, directly joining the melee.
Ser Morton, whose mount was injured and had fallen to the ground, shakily got up with the help of a servant. Inside his cylindrical helmet, blood flowed from a wound on his forehead directly into his eyes, making it impossible for him to open them.
He closed his eyes and said loudly, "Help me take off my helmet."
After removing the heavy helmet, Ser Morton had just taken a breath when a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from his ear. With a thud, an arrow struck his face.
Ser Morton immediately fell backward, landing heavily on the ground.
The encirclement was gradually tightening. Losing their space to maneuver, the tall warhorses and the Iron Oaks cavalry riding them became fixed targets for the spearmen and archers.
Almost instantly collapsing, the Waynwood brothers, Donnel and Willis, looked at each other through the slits of their visors in despair.
"Long live Iron Oaks!"
They did not retreat. The two of them, leading the few dozen cavalrymen around them, charged in another direction, where the largest swamp marigold banner on the battlefield fluttered.
Ultimately, their death charge broke through the encirclement of the Cleber Soldiers. The remaining few shouted "Iron Oaks!" and their hooves never stopped.
Greene's guard, Brienne, was staring excitedly at the Waynwood brothers galloping towards them.
He pulled on the reins and said, "Brienne, those two are yours."
As his words fell, Brienne first froze for a moment, then glanced at the guards around Greene, and then she showed an embarrassed expression.
Greene smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I'm safe. Go."
"Understood!" Brienne shouted excitedly, then spurred her horse and galloped out.
As the three of them approached, Brienne sharply pulled her reins, smashing Donnel Waynwood's face hard with her knightly shield, while her warhorse simultaneously raised its hard horseshoes to sweep Willis Waynwood's warhorse.
The Waynwood brothers, almost in an instant, one died on the spot, and the other fell off his horse.
Brienne sat quietly on her horse. Only when Willis got up from the ground did she dismount.
Brienne threw away her shield and pointed her longsword at her opponent. Willis shook his head and picked up the longsword that had fallen on the grass.
Upon closing in, Brienne swung her sword with force. Willis parried with his sword but stumbled back a step.
Then, Brienne's attacks became fiercer. Willis could only parry, the force from the longsword growing stronger and stronger, making his body retreat repeatedly.
Finally, the dizzy Willis fell onto the grass.
This time, Brienne did not wait for him to get up. She pressed forward, bringing her sword down, blood splattering, ending the battle.
Brienne rode back to Greene's side and, placing a hand on her chest, said, "Lord Greene, thank you for the glory you bestowed upon me."
Greene nodded slightly and said, "I thought you would send them away quickly. You could have done it."
Brienne moved her thick lips and said, "He was an excellent warrior; this was the most honorable death I could think of."
"Well done, Miss Brienne." She seemed to be, like him, unconsciously influenced by the simple folk customs of Crab Claw Peninsula.
He paused, then Greene suddenly said, "They seem to have misunderstood that dress."
Brienne's clear blue eyes blinked, and she said, "Yes, Lord Greene. I heard that your purpose was to anger the enemy. I saw that the dress was very ordinary."
Greene smiled wryly: "Thank you for your honesty, Brienne."
At the gates of Iron Oaks, a tall, strong young man with sandy blonde hair, leading a group of women, girls, and young boys, voluntarily walked out of the castle and offered Kleber their surrender.
Greene tightened his reins, looked down for a moment, and said, "Stranger, can you represent Iron Oaks? Please tell me your identity."
The sandy blonde-haired young man raised his head. He had blue eyes and an aquiline nose, and a handsome appearance.
He began, "Respected Count Kleber, my name is Harold Horton. According to law, I am the heir of Duke Robert Arryn."
He pointed behind him and said, "These are Lady Anya's daughters, granddaughters, and grandsons, and I am Lady Anya's adopted son. I can represent Iron Oaks in surrendering to you."
Ser Harold, also known as "Harry the Heir" and sometimes "the Young Falcon," was a squire from the Horton family. His Arryn Family lineage came from his mother's side. According to the Arryn Family's line of succession, if Duke Robert Arryn were to meet an untimely end, Harold would inherit the titles of Duke of Eyrie and Defender of the Valley.
After he finished speaking, Greene remained silent, and the atmosphere became tense.
After a moment of silence, Greene's steady voice rang out: "Although I marched into the Valley in the name of King Joffrey, I must admit the bravery of the Valley Knight. Their fearlessness and sacrifice are admirable."
He sighed, "Lady Anya persisted to the very end for the Alliance of the Righteous. As her opponent, her courage earns my respect."
Amidst low sobs, he proclaimed, "In the name of Joffrey I, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, of House Baratheon and Lannister, I, Greene Kleber, accept the surrender of Iron Oaks and promise your safety and due treatment."
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 70 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"